Leading the Way with TRG Arts

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Sep 2026

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Leading the Way explores the biggest questions facing today’s arts and cultural leaders: how to grow revenue, deepen audience relationships, and lead confidently through uncertainty. Join TRG Arts CEO Jill S. Robinson and her colleagues for candid conversations that combine practical strategy, real audience behavior, and grounded insights into what’s actually working across the sector today.

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27 recent

September 15, 2026Episode 746 min

Loyalty as a Revenue Engine at North Carolina Symphony

Most arts organizations know that marketing and development should work together. Very few actually make it happen. The North Carolina Symphony did, and 15 years later, the results speak for themselves: growing earned and contributed revenue, a donor-ready pipeline that converts at twice the industry average, and a culture where every staff member sees themselves as part of the same patron journey. In this episode, Jill Robinson sits down with Sandi MacDonald, President and CEO; Linda Charlton, VP of Marketing and Audience Development; and Lisa Ransom, VP of Philanthropy. They describe how they broke down departmental silos, built a cross-functional loyalty team, and embedded patron loyalty goals into individual performance reviews. No new department. No added headcount. Just discipline, shared goals, and a weekly rhythm of tracking and accountability. As Sandi puts it, "behind every ticket purchase is the potential for a major donor." It's a mindset that starts at the box office and runs all the way to the programming table, and it's producing real, measurable results. For all episodes of Leading the Way, visit: https://trgarts.com/leadingtheway (00:42) - – Building a culture of patron loyalty (05:34) - – Connecting ticket buyers and donors (10:15) - – Breaking down marketing and philanthropy silos (12:21) - – From first-time buyer to donor-ready patron (15:45) - – Making every patron a VIP (18:54) - – What 15 years of loyalty work has taught North Carolina Symphony (21:09) - – The metrics that drive patron loyalty (24:44) - – Turning loyalty into recurring revenue (28:36) - – Where to start: practical first steps (33:38) - – Building board confidence in patron relationships (36:15) - – Programming, stewardship and the patron experience (41:31) - – The real work of relationship building (43:53) - – Why marketing belongs at the programming table

September 8, 2026Episode 633 min

How to Grow Loyalty With the Team You Already Have

What happens after someone says yes? The next yes is where patron loyalty starts to deepen, and its value starts to grow. In this episode, the TRG team looks at what we call Buyers : the relatively small group of people who do more than one thing, more than once. A ticket and another ticket. A subscription and a gift. A membership and more frequent attendance. That repeated behavior, the “magic of and”, is one of the clearest signals that a relationship is deepening. But those relationships are still fragile. Organizations put enormous energy into securing the first transaction, subscription, membership or gift, and often much less into making sure it happens again. Yet once someone renews that commitment, their likelihood of renewing again can double or triple. The opportunity is to turn a moment in time into a behavior. The challenge is that these people often sit between teams. Marketing is focused on attendance. Development is focused on giving. Both may be working with the same person, but toward different goals. The answer isn’t necessarily more people or a new structure. Start smaller: one shared behavior, one shared measure, and one season of working on it together. Key Takeaways: Why repeat engagement tells you more about loyalty than a single large purchase. Why the second commitment matters so much. How the “magic of and” helps identify your most promising relationships. Why shared measures matter more than coordinated calendars. Where to start when your team is already stretched. ****** View all past episodes here: https://trgarts.com/leadingtheway Explore all our other resources, tools and insights here: https://trgarts.com/industry-resources

August 13, 2026Episode 545 min

Recency: The Metric Nobody's Watching, but Should Be

Lift the lid on most arts organizations' databases and here's what you'll find: no future visit booked. Nothing on the calendar and no plan to come back. In this episode, the TRG team talks about Recency , a word the field rarely uses but can't afford to ignore. A full house feels like success, but a house full of first-timers is a very different business than a house full of loyal patrons who keep coming back. That difference never shows up in your capacity-sold number. We make the case that this isn't really a numbers problem, it's a relationship problem: selling out a house and building loyalty are two different jobs, and “capacity sold” only measures one of them. In its place: something simpler and more critical to repeatable revenue: what percentage of your patrons have a future visit on the books? We walk through why recency is the gateway to frequency, why frequency is what turns ticket buyers into subscribers, members, and donors, and why moving someone from a 12-month habit to a 6-month habit can be worth more than winning a brand-new customer (at a lower cost, too). It’s also a leadership challenge: resisting the pull toward short-term revenue and building the discipline to invite people back on purpose, at the right moment, over and over. Press play to hear why " who " matters just as much as " how many ," and the one number every leader should go look up in their database this week. Key takeaways Why "who" is in the room matters more than "how many", and why capacity sold (the number most teams are judged on) often can't tell the difference. Why Recency , not capacity sold, is the real measure of whether a relationship is actually growing. What percentage of your database has a future engagement booked, and why almost no leader can answer that off the top of their head. Why recency is the gateway to frequency, and frequency is what turns ticket buyers into subscribers, members and donors. How moving a patron from a 12-month to a 6-month cycle can be worth more than winning a brand-new customer, at a lower cost.

July 14, 2026Episode 435 min

One-and-Done: Why 90% of Arts Audiences Never Come Back

Look at almost any arts and cultural database and one segment towers over the rest. At TRG, we call them Tryers : people who came once and never came back. This group makes up more than 90% of most databases, regardless of region or business model. As the team puts it, that's the hole at the bottom of the bucket. You can pour new audiences in all year, but if they keep flowing straight out, you never get ahead. Acquiring a first-time attender is expensive, yet our field has historically focused far more on attracting new audiences than keeping them. In this episode, the TRG team explores why retention starts long before the curtain rises, how small moments before and after a visit shape future behavior, and why timely invitations, thoughtful loyalty strategies, and early offers are far more effective than last-minute discounts. Underneath it all is a bigger leadership question. Arts organizations need renewable, "count-on-able" income to support artists, staff, and their mission year after year. That doesn't come from constantly replacing first-time attenders, it comes from building stronger relationships with the people who have already said “yes.” What you'll take away: Who Tryers are, why they make up more than 90% of most databases, and why most never return. Why acquiring new audiences won't solve your long-term revenue challenge. Why 75–85% of first-timers never come back, and why most organizations don't know if it's happening to them. Why audience retention starts the moment someone books, not after they attend. The one audience metric every leadership team should be tracking.

June 23, 2026Episode 333 min

The One Metric Behind Your Future Revenue Growth

In Part 1 of our Demand series, Before We Talk About Ticket Prices, Let’s Talk About Demand , we explored what creates demand in the first place. Now comes the fun part. Once demand exists, how do you actually manage it? The team begins with one metric most organizations overlook: per capita revenue. More than almost any other number, it reveals how audiences are valuing an event and whether demand is strengthening, stagnating, or slipping away. The trend matters more than the number itself, making it one of the earliest indicators of where revenue opportunities exist. From there, the conversation gets practical, moving to scale plans, pricing structures, and the patterns hidden inside a seating map. Why do some houses fill in ways that leave money on the table? Why can a declining average ticket price signal a problem? And why does dynamic pricing work best? Get your foundation solid, then let pricing do its job. The episode closes with a challenge for leaders, and maybe the most freeing idea of all: you don't have to chase every show equally . The TRG team makes a simple case for putting your oxygen mask on first. Give your high-demand shows the attention they deserve, to earn every bit of revenue they can, and use that strength to support the rest. Key Takeaways: Per capita revenue is one of the clearest indicators of audience demand. A smart scale plan comes first; dynamic pricing is the cherry on top, not the foundation. " Little and often" pricing changes protect both your revenue and your loyal patrons. The right software frees your team to do what people do best: build relationships. Demand is a team sport ; run it through weekly revenue pacing meetings to identify and respond to signals early.

June 9, 2026Episode 232 min

Before We Talk About Ticket Prices, Let's Talk About Demand

When revenue goals aren't being met, it's natural to look at pricing. Should tickets cost more? How high is too high? Should we discount more often? Are ticket prices driving audiences away? But what if price isn't the place to start? In Part 1 of this two-part conversation on demand, we step back to explore one of the most important questions facing arts organizations today: What actually drives demand? Join the TRG team as they examine the difference between demand and pricing, challenge some common assumptions about audience behavior, and discuss why organizations often spend too much time focused on ticket prices and not enough time understanding what makes people want to attend in the first place. Along the way, you'll hear practical insights about audience perception, the role of value and relevance, and why strong demand is built long before someone reaches the purchase page. This episode lays the foundation for the conversation ahead. Before organizations can influence demand, they need to understand how it works, what shapes it, and why it plays such a critical role in long-term revenue growth. In Part 2, we'll take the next step, exploring how organizations can identify demand signals, evaluate performance throughout the sales cycle, and make more intentional decisions about pricing, pacing, and revenue strategy. Key Takeaways: • Why demand and pricing are not the same thing, and why the distinction matters. • How audience interest, perception, and relevance influence attendance long before price enters the conversation. • Why pricing often responds to demand rather than creating it. • The role audience behavior plays in shaping revenue outcomes. • How perceptions of value and success influence purchasing decisions. • Why discounting isn't always the answer to revenue challenges. • What arts leaders should understand about demand before making pricing decisions. • The foundation organizations need in place before they can actively manage and influence demand.

May 12, 2026Episode 119 min

Why Your Revenue Problem Might Really Be A Relationship Problem

Most arts organizations can tell you their revenue targets. Fewer can clearly identify the relationships that will deliver them. As financial pressure continues across the sector, many organizations focus on short-term income. But as this episode explores, revenue doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s built through strengthening audience relationships over time. This conversation introduces TRG’s core relationship framework: Tryers, Buyers, and Advocates. It explores how organizations can better understand the behaviors already inside their CRM systems and use those insights to build stronger loyalty and more sustainable revenue. The TRG team also introduces four strategic focus areas that shape the season ahead: Recency, Demand, People, and Discipline — practical ways organizations can strengthen audience engagement and improve long-term financial stability. At the center of the conversation is a simple idea: organizations that focus intentionally on relationships are better positioned to navigate uncertainty, grow loyalty, and build sustainable revenue. Key Takeaways to Put Into Action: Revenue is built through relationships: Tickets, donations, memberships and subscriptions are outcomes of audience behavior over time. Your future revenue is rooted in past behavior: The people most likely to return may already be in your database. Not all relationships need the same approach : Tryers, Buyers, and Advocates each require different strategies and levels of investment. Frequency starts with recency: The sooner audiences re-engage, the more sustainable loyalty becomes. People-based planning creates clarity : Understanding audience behavior helps organizations forecast more accurately and prioritize resources more effectively. Discipline drives results: Sustainable growth requires consistent focus, accountability, and action.

April 22, 2026Episode 1050 min

How to Lead for Growth Under Pressure with Christina Littlejohn

Arts leaders are under increasing pressure: financial, operational, and cultural. So, what does it look like to respond differently? In this bonus episode of Leading the Way , Jill Robinson speaks with Christina Littlejohn, CEO of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra , about choosing growth when contraction might seem like the safer option. Facing a significant financial gap, Christina made a deliberate decision to invest in audiences, accessibility, and experience rather than scale back. That choice helped build momentum, expand audiences, increase revenue, and strengthen long-term sustainability. At the center of the conversation is a clear idea: What happens inside the concert hall drives everything else. From fuller feeling houses to stronger donor confidence, Christina shares how audience experience, frequency, and belonging connect directly to revenue and philanthropy. The episode also explores: Why an abundance mindset matters in moments of pressure How membership and accessibility increase engagement and loyalty The role of data, pricing, and segmentation in shaping behavior Why investing in teams and skills is critical to execution This is a practical example of entrepreneurial leadership in action where consistent, people-focused decisions compound over time to change outcomes. Listen to our related episode: Leading Through Disruption: The Entrepreneurial Mindset Arts Organizations Need Now For more insights, all past episodes, and to sign up for our newsletter, visit trgarts.com/leadingtheway Contact Info: Email letstalk@trgarts.com

March 17, 2026Episode 938 min

Leading Through Disruption: The Entrepreneurial Mindset Arts Organizations Need Now

Why Adaptability, Relationships, and People Will Define the Next Era of Arts Leadership Arts leaders today are navigating constant disruption. Economic pressure, rapid technological change, and shifting audience behavior have made the environment far more complex than the one many arts organizations were originally built for. Many institutions are still operating on 20th-century funding models while facing 21st-century realities. So the question becomes: what distinguishes organizations that adapt and grow from those that struggle? This episode explores the leadership mindset behind resilient organizations. The leaders who are thriving aren’t waiting for stability to return. They use disruption as a signal to examine the cracks in their foundation (from programming and technology to staffing models and audience relationships) and they invest intentionally to strengthen those areas. The conversation highlights three core ideas: Entrepreneurial agility is no longer optional. The sector has experienced continuous change, from digital transformation to the pandemic, and leaders must keep learning, testing, and adjusting. People are the most controllable driver of sustainability. Organizations cannot control government funding or macroeconomic conditions, but they can invest in relationships with audiences, donors, and staff. Discipline turns strategy into results. The organizations emerging stronger are the ones that align teams, act on data, and consistently execute their plans. Leadership today requires more than operational management. It requires curiosity, courage, and the willingness to rethink long-standing assumptions about how arts organizations operate.

February 17, 2026Episode 831 min

Are You Building Your Budgets on Hope, or Real Relationships?

Most arts organizations can tell you their revenue targets. Fewer can name the segments, behaviors and people that will actually deliver them. When financial pressure rises, leaders default to revenue buckets: tickets, subscriptions, donations. But as this episode makes clear, those buckets don’t buy tickets. People do. This conversation reframes budgeting through a People lens. Revenue is not a line item. It’s the outcome of relationships, shaped by segments including recency, frequency, and behavior over time. When you shift from revenue-based planning to relationship-based planning, you gain clarity: where growth is possible, where risk is hiding, and what must change to hit your goals. We explore why annual planning often falls short, how multi-year pipeline thinking changes investment decisions, and what it really means to hold teams accountable for relationship metrics, not just financial outcomes. This episode challenges leaders to move beyond hopeful projections and toward people-driven strategy, so financial plans become proactive, measurable, and sustainable. Key Takeaways to Put Into Action: Revenue goals are made of relationships: If you can’t name the segments and behaviours driving your target, you’re probably guessing. You inherit your pipeline, you don’t invent it: Short-term targets are shaped by years of past behavior. Budgeting must reflect that reality. Segmentation is a leadership tool, not just a marketing tactic: New, active, lapsed, multi-buyers - each requires different investment decisions. Multi-year planning reduces risk: Annual planning without pipeline metrics creates financial blind spots . Accountability must connect to ‘people metrics’: Clear ownership of relationship-driven KPIs makes growth achievable, and shared across teams .